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The Last Mile Sarcoma Research Award

Sarcoma Foundation of America

The Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA) is pleased to announce a research funding opportunity to provide one-year grants in the amount of $150,000, to support all types of research in human sarcomas.

In support of our overall mission to fund research and increase awareness and advocacy for sarcoma patients and their families, the goal of the SFA grant program is to encourage research that results in improved therapeutic options for sarcoma patients.

Description

This grant mechanism is available for sarcoma researchers to provide funding to strengthen the resubmission of a R01 or R01-equivalent grant proposal (grants that are up to $500,000/year for up to five years), where the application is eligible for resubmission and the applicant is the project director and principal investigator on the application. The application must have scored in the 50th percentile or better, but outside the pay line.

Considerations in a funding decision will include the following: the innovation and impact of the research proposed, the financial circumstances and needs of the investigator, and the likelihood of success in moving the proposal’s score within the funding range following resubmission. If funded by SFA, the expectation is that the application would be successfully resubmitted to the initial evaluating organization within one year of the end date of the Last Mile Grant.

Applicants must submit the following: 1) the original proposal; 2) the review committee summary statement including all reviewer critiques; 3) a 1-2-page initial response to the critiques along with 1/2 page high level summary of the specific studies that will be pursued to improve the application’s likelihood of success upon resubmission; 4) NIH Biosketch(es) and up-to-date other support documents for the complete research team; and 5) a 1-page high-level budget and budget justification. The funds may not be used for salary support for the principal investigator(s), co-investigator(s), or consultants. The total amount requested must not exceed $150,000.

For each awarded grant, funding of up to $150,000 in total cost is available to cover equipment, supplies and other expenses in support of research within the period of performance. In addition, the following funding restrictions apply:

No more than 10% of the total cost amount can be applied to indirect cost (e.g., $15,000 indirect cost toward the $150,000 total cost of the grant)
The SFA does not permit funds to be used for Principal Investigator (PI) salaries. However, applicants are permitted to request money for the payment of salaries for non-faculty post-docs, fellows, and technicians, if applicable. No more than 50% of total cost can be used for salaries (e.g., $75,000 for the $150,000 award).

Review and Selection

Grant applications will be reviewed using a peer review method. Peer reviewers are members of SFA’s Medical Advisory Board immediately following the application deadline of February 2, 2026, at 5:00 pm ET. Applicants are estimated to be notified in mid-April, as to the award decision for their proposal. The funds awarded will be made available for research by June 1, 2026.

SFA’s grant review process is based on the same peer review system utilized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The merit grading is unbiased and based solely on the scientific merits of the proposal. The SFA Medical Advisory Board, composed of leading academic scientific sarcoma experts, reviews all grant applications (peer review) and ranks them through a scoring system. Scoring of grants is done individually by each medical expert and scores are added together to determine the final ranking of each proposal. Any reviewer with a conflict of interest is excused from voting on a specific proposal. The highest scoring grant applications are recommended for funding to SFA’s Board of Directors, who approve the final selection of grant awards. Selections for funding are based on scores from internal and external medical reviewers, available funding, and the predicted potential for the research effort to result in improved therapeutic options for sarcoma patients.

Report Deliverables

Grantees/PIs are required to submit a Final Report (research outcomes and impact) and Financial Report (list of cumulative expenditures) no later than two months after the end date of the period of performance. Please be aware that failure to provide these deliverables may adversely affect future funding to the organization and/or awards to the same PI. Instructions for the Final Report and Financial Report will be made available to awardees through our grant website: proposalCENTRAL.

Application and Submission Information

Completed applications must be submitted by February 2, 2026, at 5:00 pm ET. Researchers must submit proposals electronically at proposalCENTRAL, an e-grantmaking website shared by many government, non-profit, and private grant-making organizations. The SFA does not accept applications via e-mail or paper applications.

First-time users are required to register and complete a professional profile in order to apply for an SFA research grant. If you have any questions about registration, how to apply, or other logistical application questions, please contact the proposalCENTRAL customer support at 800 875 2562 (Toll-free U.S. and Canada), or +1 703 964 5840 (Direct Dial International) or by email at pcsupport@altum.com.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Clear and Central Relevance to Sarcoma

This is the #1 gating criterion for SFA funding.

Strong proposals focus on:

High-grade soft tissue sarcomas

Bone sarcomas (osteosarcoma, Ewing, chondrosarcoma)

Rare sarcoma subtypes (leiomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, liposarcoma, UPS, MPNST)

Pediatric and AYA sarcomas

Priority research themes:

Novel therapeutic targets

Mechanisms of metastasis and resistance

Precision oncology for sarcoma subtypes

Immunotherapy strategies in sarcoma

Biomarkers (response, prognosis, minimal residual disease)

Improved drug delivery & radiosensitization

Patient-focused outcomes (especially for ultra-rare subtypes)

❗ Generic solid tumor biology must show strong subtype-specific justification.

2. Strong Preliminary Data

Even as a pilot grant, successful SFA proposals typically include:

Proof-of-concept data in sarcoma models

Target validation/expression evidence

Feasibility for recruitment or sample access

Early efficacy signals for therapeutics

Predictor: Preliminary data may be the single biggest determinant of success.

3. Subtype-Specific Mechanistic and Translational Focus

SFA values projects that move toward clinical and high-impact goals:

Targeted small molecules / gene therapies

Rational IO combinations

Biomarker development tied to trials

Optimal use of available drugs or repurposing

Sarcoma organoids, xenografts, immune models

Predictor: A clear path from mechanism → therapy gains high reviewer enthusiasm.

4. Use of Highly Relevant Sarcoma Models

Funded proposals use the right tools:

Patient-derived xenografts (PDX)

Sarcoma organoids or 3D culture models

Genetically engineered mouse models

Immune-competent models (for IO studies)

Fresh patient tumor samples

Sarcoma-specific multi-omics datasets

Predictor: Proper models are crucial for disease relevance.

5. Investigator Track Record in Sarcoma Research

Reviewers assess:

Publications in sarcoma or related oncology

Sarcoma-center affiliation / collaboration

Grantsmanship potential and field commitment

Career trajectory for junior faculty

Predictor: Strong track record drives confidence in execution.

6. Clear, Feasible Aims and Timeline

Since funding is modest and 1-year:

2–3 focused, hypothesis-driven aims

Rapid milestones and measurable outputs

Risk mitigation strategies

Realistic Sample sizes, power, PK/PD endpoints

Tangible deliverables (data enabling NIH/DOD proposals)

Predictor: Feasibility = high scoring.

7. Collaboration With Sarcoma Clinical Centers

Huge competitive advantage:

Access to biobanks & clinical trials

Multi-PI translational teams

Pathologists and imaging experts on the team

Ability to stratify by sarcoma subtype

Predictor: Clinical integration strengthens impact.

8. High Innovation Level

SFA invests in:

New mechanisms and therapeutic angles

First-in-field biomarker approaches

Immunological and metabolic vulnerabilities

Technologies enabling better clinical decisions

Predictor: Innovation must be clear and exciting.

9. Patient Impact and Rationale for Unmet Need

Best-scoring proposals show:

How the research will help patients with limited options

Impact on survival, metastasis prevention, or toxicity reduction

Benefits for rare subtypes often overlooked by NIH

Disparities in access and outcomes (bonus points)

Predictor: Strong patient justification increases significance scoring.

10. Clean, Compelling Writing

Essential:

Strong rationale supported by preliminary figures

Clear methods and statistical rigor

Formatting and compliance with application rules

Easy readability for multidisciplinary panel

Predictor: Well-presented science wins tie-breakers.

🏆 Summary — SFA Success Predictors

Predictor	Why It Matters
Sarcoma-specific impact	Core mission requirement
Preliminary data strength	Demonstrates feasibility
Translational focus	Path toward therapy
Valid sarcoma models	Enhances disease relevance
Investigator track record	Execution confidence
Feasible, focused aims	Fit the budget/timeline
Collaboration with sarcoma centers	Patient access & precision
Innovation	Drives scientific significance
Patient-need alignment	Reviewer enthusiasm
Strong writing	Improves scoring

Specialties

Molecular Biology

Pathology

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be an MD, DO, PhD, or international equivalent with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed sarcoma research;
Applicants must be within the first ten years of faculty appointment (beginning with instructor/assistant professor or the equivalent).
Each proposal must identify only one lead PI. The PI is responsible for the overall grant management, coordination and research oversight to include the deliverables;
Returning SFA PIs and organizational grantees must be in compliance with any/all previous SFA grant deliverables;

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Sarcoma Foundation of America

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 9899 Main St Ste 204 Damascus, MD 20872

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